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Thursday, Feb. 27

Eight thefts or burglaries from vehicles were reported: at 1:42 a.m. at Webster and Dana streets; at 8 a.m. in the same location; at 4:50 p.m. in the 800 block of University Avenue; at 7 p.m. in the 2200 block of Durant Avenue; at 7:45 p.m. in the 2900 block of College Avenue; at 8:35 p.m. in the 2100 block of Vine Street; at 10 p.m. in the 300 block of Avenida Drive; and at 10:30 p.m. at Shattuck Avenue and Dwight Way. Police arrested Johnny Ray Christopher in connection with one of the cases, on suspicion of burglary and carrying a switchblade knife. He remains in custody on bail of $685,000 and is scheduled for a pre-trial hearing March 12.

Two commercial burglaries were reported, at 2 a.m. in the 3100 block of Telegraph Avenue, and at 4:24 a.m. in the 1200 block of University Avenue.

A felony sexual assault was reported at 4:40 p.m. in the 2300 block of Telegraph, and a misdemeanor sexual assault was reported at 9:48 p.m. at Hearst and McGee avenues.

Two vehicles were reported stolen, at 5 p.m. in the 2400 block of Dwight Way, and at 6:30 p.m. in the 1300 block of Channing Way.

A gun or other weapon was reported at 9:17 p.m. at Ashby Avenue and Seventh Street.

There were 16 burglaries reported over this period, via CrimeMapping.com. The prior week there were 18. Click the map for a list of calls.

Friday, Feb. 28

A vehicle was reported stolen at 8 a.m. in the 1900 block of Allston Way.

Four thefts or burglaries from vehicles were reported: at 10:30 a.m. at Mabel and 67th streets; at 1 p.m. in the 1200 block of Fifth Street; at 8:30 p.m. in the 1400 block of Oxford Street; and at 11:05 p.m. in the 2300 block of Woolsey Street.

Two home burglaries were reported, at 6 p.m. in the 100 block of Alvarado Road, and at 6 p.m. in the 1600 block of Hopkins Street.

Saturday, March 1

A robbery was reported at 8:39 a.m. at Shattuck Avenue and Allston Way.

Two vehicles were reported stolen, at 3:30 p.m. in the 2900 block of Pine Avenue, and at 5:45 p.m. in the 2800 block of Regent Street.

A home burglary was reported at 9:50 p.m. in the 1700 block of La Loma Avenue.

There were 21 thefts or burglaries from vehicles reported in Berkeley over this period, via CrimeMapping.com. There were 21 reported the prior week. There were also 13 vehicles stolen (shown in purple). Click the map for a list of incidents.

Sunday, March 2

A commercial burglary was reported at 5:35 a.m. in the 2300 block of Shattuck Avenue.

A theft from a vehicle (unlocked) was reported at noon in the 1300 block of Delaware Street, and an auto burglary (locked) was reported at 2 p.m. in the 2100 block of Woolsey Street.

Two vehicles were reported stolen, at 2 p.m. at Allston Way and Byron Street, and at 4 p.m. in the 900 block of Pardee Street.

Berkeley firefighters were sent to 2223 Ashby, Berkeley Pines Care Center, at 11:09 p.m. after the smell of smoke was reported. Firefighters found visible smoke in several rooms, said Battalion Chief Bill Kehoe. They found the source of the smoke about 15 minutes later: the motor on a fan within the heating system. Kehoe said the motor had started smoking, which was pumped into several rooms. The facility was partially evacuated while firefighters shut off the power and gas to the heater, and ventilated the affected rooms. In the end, all the residents were taken back to bed “safe and sound,” Kehoe said.

Monday, March 3

Two commercial burglaries were reported, at 3:01 a.m. in the 3200 block of College Avenue, and at 6:15 p.m. in the 1500 block of University Avenue.

A home burglary was reported at 8:45 a.m. in the 3200 block of Sacramento Street.

A vehicle was reported stolen at 9 a.m. in the 2300 block of Eighth Street.

A robbery was reported at 3:35 p.m. in the 1800 block of University Avenue.

An auto burglary was reported at 5 p.m. in the 2000 block of Francisco Street.

A breakdown of the most serious crimes reported by day of the week from Feb. 27 to March 5. (Please note: The days of the week are not shown chronologically.) Image: CrimeMapping.com

Tuesday, March 4

Four vehicles were reported stolen: at 3:50 a.m. in the 1300 block of Kains Avenue; at 7 a.m. in the 1300 block of Oxford Street; at 5 p.m. in the 1300 block of Rose Street; and at 8 p.m. in the 600 block of Vincente Avenue. Police arrested Ulice Blunt in connection with the Kains incident. Blunt is no longer in custody.

A felony assault or battery was reported at 5 a.m. in the 2500 block of Bancroft Way.

A home burglary was reported at 9 a.m. in the 1400 block of Curtis Street.

Three auto burglaries were reported: at noon in the 2600 block of Bancroft Way; at 7:15 p.m. in the 400 block of Canyon Road; and at 7:20 p.m. in the 1800 block of San Pablo Avenue.

A robbery was reported at 2:45 p.m. in the 1800 block of University.

Two commercial burglaries were reported, at 9:30 p.m. and at 10:30 p.m., both in the 1500 block of Shattuck.

Traffic was partially blocked Tuesday evening while police responded to a disturbance on Sacramento Street just north of Ashby Avenue. Passers-by said a man had some kind of outburst on the west side of Sacramento. He then walked across the street into a local dance studio. Several minutes later he came outside and was detained by officers, who was taken for a mental health evaluation.

Wednesday, March 5

A felony assault or battery was reported at 8:45 a.m. at Dwight Way and Hillegass Avenue.

Four home burglaries were reported: at 11 a.m. in the 3100 block of Mabel Street; at 11 a.m. in the 2500 block of Stuart Street; at noon in the 1200 block of Haskell Street; and at 11:58 p.m. in the 2500 block of Bancroft Way.

Three auto burglaries were reported: at 2 p.m. in the 2200 block of Blake Street; at 6 p.m. in the 1300 block of 67th Street; and at 8 p.m. in the 3200 block of Boise Street.

Police received a call of a person with a gun at Live Oak Park at 2:41 p.m., according to Officer Jennifer Coats, Berkeley Police spokeswoman, in response to a question from Berkeleyside. Officers responded and detained a man matching the description provided by the caller. The caller advised that the man was creating a disturbance and, from her vantage point, appeared to be armed with a possible gun. Officers were able to speak with the man and determined he was not armed: “He was holding an old style flashlight that was L-shaped,” Coats said. The man was released at the conclusion of the investigation.

A vehicle was reported stolen at 7 p.m. in the 2300 block of Hilgard Avenue.

A robbery was reported at 9:35 p.m. in the 1500 block of Eighth Street. According to police, a woman was on her way home when three men approached her and took her bag, according to Acting Lt. Jennifer Louis of the Berkeley Police Department. One of them had a metal object she thought was a gun. They were described as black men in their 20s. No further information was available.

Police arrested Paul Graggs on suspicion of burglary and second-degree robbery in connection with a fraud report made at 8 p.m. in the 900 block of Addison Street. Graggs remains in custody on bail of $150,000 and is scheduled for arraignment March 10 at 2 p.m. Graggs was sentenced in 2012 on numerous charges, including extortion and elder abuse, according to the Alameda County sheriff’s department.

I live in South Berkeley, not far from Berkeley Bowl. On Sunday morning (not sure exactly what time, as I was still sleeping), I woke up to some strange siren. It almost sounded like an air raid siren or something of that ilk. Anyone know what that was?

This is what we received today from BPD: “Based on the sensitivity of these types of investigations, we don’t release information about the victim. I spoke with the detective on this case and she advised that the charge in this case is PC 289-Forcible act of sexual penetration.”